Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

McLaren's next-gen Super Series will be based around this lightweight chassis

By

McLaren Monocage II
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Over the past six years, McLaren has grown from a boutique carmaker to a genuine rival for the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini. That’s largely down to what the company calls its “Super Series,” encompassing the discontinued MP14-12C, the 650S, and the 675LT. It should be a tough act to follow.

Yet that is exactly what McLaren will do. It will unveil a second-generation Super Series on March 7 at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. This marks the first time McLaren has ever replaced an existing model, something that is routine for most automakers. So what does McLaren have in store for the second act of its Super Series?

Recommended Videos

The next-generation model will be based around a new body structure called Monocage II that makes extensive use of carbon fiber, with some metal construction as well. McLaren claims it will contribute to a dry weight of just 1,283 kilograms (2,828 pounds) for the entire car, which is 18 kg (39.6 lbs) lighter than the current 650S. The new chassis also has a lower center of gravity, McLaren says, which should improve handling.

Related

It’s not unusual to hear a manufacturer talk about making its new supercar lighter and more agile, but it is unusual for ergonomics to be a priority. McLaren claims the Monocage II body structure was designed to allow better all-around visibility, and that it has wider door openings and a lower sill, making ingress and egress easier. McLaren is so enamored with its new chassis design that will even offer a “Visible Monocage” option that allows bits of it to peek through the bodywork.

Like the current Super Series, expect the new model to spawn multiple variants. The current generation started out with the MP4-12C in 2011, which was given a restyling and a number of tweaks to create the 650S, introduced in 2014. In 2015, McLaren launched a limited-edition, high-performance version called the 675LT, with the “LT” referencing the “long-tail” racing versions of the legendary McLaren F1. All Super Series models so far have been offered as both coupes and convertibles.

McLaren adopted the Super Series name to distinguish the 650S-based models from the lower-level Sports Series, which includes the 570S and 570GT, and the Ultimate Series P1 hybrid hypercar. The company may need to come up with more names, as it plans to launch 15 new models as part of its Track22 business plan.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Don’t let the gimmicks fool you. The Ioniq 5 N is a serious track car
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N drifting.

We’re finally getting to the fun part of automakers’ methodical quest to replicate their lineups with electric cars.

Performance versions of ordinary cars have been a staple of the auto industry for decades. But while we’ve already seen some variants of EVs boasting more power and more impressive stats — think Tesla Model S Plaid or Lucid Air Sapphire — the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the first to truly apply that format to an EV.

Read more
The Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is one of the best-looking EVs yet
Front of the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore

Maserati is adopting electrified vehicles with open arms, and while that could potentially signal an identity crisis for the luxury Italian brand, that’s probably a good thing in the long run.

The company recently took the wraps off of the new Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, which is essentially a convertible version of its already released GranTurismo Folgore electric car. The new EV is its third go at electrified vehicles so far, and it flew us out to Rimini, Italy, to witness the big reveal in person.

Read more
EV warranties aren’t like those for non-electric cars. Here’s what you should know
Close up of the Hybrid car electric charger station with power supply plugged into an electric car being charged.

EVs are on the rise. With awesome new models finally rolling out and charging networks rapidly expanding, it feels like we're at the tipping point of electric cars being as mainstream as non-electric vehicles. But with a whole new type of vehicle come new challenges. One challenge is adapting to charging times. Another is paying closer to attention to range. And another, as some drivers are finding out, has to do with electric car warranties.

Turns out, the warranty that comes with electric cars isn't necessarily quite the same as the one that you might get with your non-electric car. If you really think about it, that's probably not all that surprising -- after all, while they can look the same, electric cars have a completely different makeup under the hood compared to their gas-powered cousins. But understanding an EV warranty could be the difference between winding up having to pay thousands for a battery replacement, or getting one repaired on the house.
It's not all new
Before diving into things like battery warranties, it's worth doing a quick primer on car warranties in general. EVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles usually come with two different warranties -- at least when they're bought new. First, there's the basic warranty (also known as bumper-to-bumper warranty), which covers every part of a car except for basic maintenance, usually for up to three years or 36,000 miles.

Read more